Saturday, July 17, 2010

US Designates Anwar al Awlaki an Al-Qaeda (AQAP) Leader

The US Treasury Department has designated an American-born Muslim cleric who is a senior member of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and is based in Yemen as a terrorist for his involvement in several terror attacks.

Anwar al Awlaki, a senior cleric, recruiter, propagandist, and planner for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been designated as a terrorist under Executive Order 13224 "for supporting acts of terrorism and for acting for or on behalf of AQAP." The designation allows the US to freeze his assets, prevent him from using financial institutions, and prosecute him for terrorist activities.

"Anwar al Awlaki has proven that he is extraordinarily dangerous, committed to carrying out deadly attacks on Americans and others worldwide," Stuart Levey, the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a Treasury Department press release. "He has involved himself in every aspect of the supply chain of terrorism -- fundraising for terrorist groups, recruiting and training operatives, and planning and ordering attacks on innocents."

Awlaki has sworn allegiance to Nasir al Wuhayshi, the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and "has also recruited individuals to join AQAP, facilitated training at camps in Yemen in support of acts of terrorism, and helped focus AQAP's attention on planning attacks on US interests.''